Dataset Information

Refraction-Assisted Solar Thermoelectric Generator based on Phase-Change Lens.

ABSTRACT: Solar thermoelectric generators (STEGs), which are used for various applications, (particularly small size electronic devices), have optical concentration systems for high energy conversion efficiency. In this study, a refraction-assisted STEG (R-STEG) is designed based on phase-change materials. As the phase-change material (PCM) changes phase from solid to liquid, its refractive index and transmittance also change, resulting in changes in the refraction of the sunlight transmitted through it, and concentration of solar energy in the phase-change lens. This innovative design facilitates double focusing the solar energy through the optical lens and a phase-change lens. This mechanism resulted in the peak energy conversion efficiencies of the R-STEG being 60% and 86% higher than those of the typical STEG at solar intensities of 1?kW m(-2) and 1.5?kW m(-2), respectively. In addition, the energy stored in PCM can help to generate steady electrical energy when the solar energy was removed. This work presents significant progress regarding the optical characteristic of PCM and optical concentration systems of STEGs.

SUBMITTER: Kim MS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4901302 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Refraction-Assisted Solar Thermoelectric Generator based on Phase-Change Lens.

Kim Myoung-Soo MS Kim Min-Ki MK Jo Sung-Eun SE Joo Chulmin C Kim Yong-Jun YJ

Scientific reports 20160610

Solar thermoelectric generators (STEGs), which are used for various applications, (particularly small size electronic devices), have optical concentration systems for high energy conversion efficiency. In this study, a refraction-assisted STEG (R-STEG) is designed based on phase-change materials. As the phase-change material (PCM) changes phase from solid to liquid, its refractive index and transmittance also change, resulting in changes in the refraction of the sunlight transmitted through it, ...[more]

PMID: 27283350

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Project description:The aim of this study was to compare changes in refraction following lens-sparing vitrectomy between patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and epiretinal membrane (ERM) and to investigate factors associated with the change in refraction.We reviewed medical records of 49 eyes of 49 patients with RRD (53.6?±?7.8 years, mean?±?standard deviation) and 24 eyes of 24 patients with ERM (50.9?±?15.7 years) who underwent lens-sparing vitrectomy. Spherical equivalent refractive power was evaluated before and up to 18 months after surgery. The relationship between the change in refraction and several parameters was evaluated.A significant progressive myopic shift in refractive power was observed after vitrectomy in operated RRD and ERM eyes (P?<?0.001, P?=?0.016, respectively), with no significant difference in fellow eyes. The refraction values observed at ?3 and ?12 months following vitrectomy were significantly different as compared with those observed at baseline in the RRD group (P?<?0.001) and the ERM group (P?<?0.05), respectively. The change in refraction between the RRD and ERM groups was significant (P?=?0.030). The multiple linear regression analysis showed that only age was significantly correlated with the change in refraction in RRD (P?=?0.018) and ERM (P?<?0.001) groups. The change in refraction was significantly and positively correlated with age in RRD (r?=?-0.461, P?=?0.001) and ERM (r?=?-0.687, P?<?0.001) groups. Following lens-sparing vitrectomy, cataract surgery was performed on 30 eyes after 0.89?±?0.26 years in the RRD group and on 10 eyes after 1.11?±?0.14 years in the ERM group; there was a significant difference in time to cataract surgery between the groups (P?=?0.007). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated that there was a significant difference in the rate of cataract surgeries between the RRD and ERM groups (P?=?0.022).Following lens-sparing vitrectomy for RRD and ERM, a progressive myopic shift in refraction owing to nuclear sclerosis was observed. Core vitrectomy itself would cause a myopic shift of refraction. The only risk factor associated with cataract progression following lens-sparing vitrectomy is age for both types of patients.

Project description:Wearable electronics play a crucial role in advancing the rapid development of artificial intelligence, and as an attractive future vision, all-in-one wearable microsystems integrating powering, sensing, actuating and other functional components on a single chip have become an appealing tendency. Herein, we propose a wearable thermoelectric generator (ThEG) with a novel double-chain configuration to simultaneously realize sustainable energy harvesting and multi-functional sensing. In contrast to traditional single-chain ThEGs with the sole function of thermal energy harvesting, each individual chain of the developed double-chain thermoelectric generator (DC-ThEG) can be utilized to scavenge heat energy, and moreover, the combination of the two chains can be employed as functional sensing electrodes at the same time. The mature mass-fabrication technology of screen printing was successfully introduced to print n-type and p-type thermoelectric inks atop a polymeric substrate to form thermocouples to construct two independent chains, which makes this DC-ThEG flexible, high-performance and cost-efficient. The emerging material of silk fibroin was employed to cover the gap of the fabricated two chains to serve as a functional layer for sensing the existence of liquid water molecules in the air and the temperature. The powering and sensing functions of the developed DC-ThEG and their interactions were systematically studied via experimental measurements, which proved the DC-ThEG to be a robust multi-functional power source with a 151 mV open-circuit voltage. In addition, it was successfully demonstrated that this DC-ThEG can convert heat energy to achieve a 3.3 V output, matching common power demands of wearable electronics, and harvest biothermal energy to drive commercial electronics (i.e., a calculator). The integration approach of powering and multi-functional sensing based on this new double-chain configuration might open a new chapter in advanced thermoelectric generators, especially in the applications of all-in-one self-powered microsystems.

Dataset Information

Refraction-Assisted Solar Thermoelectric Generator based on Phase-Change Lens.

Publications

Refraction-Assisted Solar Thermoelectric Generator based on Phase-Change Lens.

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